History of Zenith Archery Products The history of releases goes back to the ancient Chinese and the Turks, who used a thumb type release to set arrow flight distance records which were not equaled until modern times. The advent of the modern release began in the 1960's, but these releases were shot on command and were of limited help for increasing accuracy or helping with a target panic problem. The change that revolutionized freestyle archery occurred in the late 1960's with the introduction of the plastic ledge type of release. The major innovation was not the release itself but the act of shooting it as a surprise instead of on command. The result of this new method of shooting helped alleviate target panic and began in our founder, Joe Bauernfeind, an interest in building and refining releases, which developed into the formation of Zenith Archery Products. During the 1970's and 1980's, the changes and innovations in archery equipment, including the development of the compound bow, the introduction of new synthetics for bowstrings, the use of carbon fiber technology for both bows and arrows and the explosion in release technology, provided fertile ground for anyone with an interest in seeing how far the speed and accuracy of the bow and arrow could be pushed. The formation of Zenith Archery Products in 1993 was based on what was seen as the need for some improvements on the basic idea of the release. Zenith Archery Products began with the back tension release as its focus on where significant improvements could be made. These included a more comfortable ergonomic handle, a practice mode, where no arrows are shot, for learning to use the release safely and a clicker mode to provide a reference other than rotating the release and pulling all with one finger. Other improvements seen as essential to the improvment of the release were the addition of an optional wrist strap, to aid in drawing heavier bows, the ability to use a "D" loop as well as the release rope, and an interference free attachment of the release rope, so that it would not get worn by coming in contact with the moving metal parts of the release. More recently, through the experience gained since Zenith Archery's inception, it was determined that many archers were reluctant to attempt to use a back tension release due to the proliferation of tales of injury or lost arrows during the initial stages of the learning process. Zenith was the first in the industry, we believe, to offer the archer who may be new to back tension releases, the aid of a video taped set of instructions on how to use the back tension release properly, from the beginning, in a manner which if followed, can all but eliminate the problems mentioned. This "No Punch Method" can also be utilized by anyone wishing to improve their skills with back tension releases, and anyone who may have tried and failed in their attempts to use the back tension release. Zenith believes that these innovations and others to come have improved this type of release to where it can now be learned easily and safely by most archers and should help them remain panic free for as long as they continue in the great sport of archery. Our Founder Joe Bauernfeind is a competitive tournament archer of 30 years standing. He started in archery shooting barebow with a recurve bow and switched to freestyle fingers after about a year. Like many archers, Joe developed a case of target panic and battled it for several years before beginning to use the releases that were available at that time in an effort to overcome it. Starting with the ledge, he tried each new style of release as they developed including the many variations of the rope-spike, the trigger less back tension release and the mechanical trigger releases when they were finally deemed legal for use in freestyle archery. During those years of shooting and observing others, he came to the conclusion that the trigger-less type of back tension release provides the best chance of success when learning to use a release and the best way to overcome target panic and keep it under control. Joe with a partial collection of his many trophies and titles Since he began competing in 1968, he has won many local competitive shoots, and several state and sectional championships in the freestyle division of the NFAA, both in the open class and later as a Senior. At the national level he consistently placed in the top flight in open freestyle and won the Senior division at the NFAA Nationals in 1992. He also won the open freestyle division at the Atlantic City Classic as an adult and has since won the title several times in the Senior division. In 1993 Joe was involved in an off-road bicycling accident that left him with a broken collarbone, which subsequently took him out of competition for most of that year. Recovering from an injury as significant to a competitive archer as a broken collarbone was no easy task. Just strengthening the muscles to the point where it was possible to draw a 60# compound bow would be difficult for an archer of any age. Combining determination and lots of practice, he was able to regain his form and proved that he was once again competitive by winning many additional titles, including a gold medal for archery in the 1997 Senior Olympics, and a bronze in the 1999 Senior Olympics. Joe also authors a monthly column entitled "From The Senior Corner" in the U.S. Archer magazine and throughout the years has gotten all three of his now adult children into the sport. Currently, his three year old grandson and five year old grandson are learning to shoot a compound bow using fingers and he's hoping they'll continue the family involvment in archery, in all of its forms. Joe's Equipment Bow - Hoyt Ultratec, 56#@30.5", 75% wheels, Flag riser, homemade string, shoot through buss cable system Arrows - Carbon Express Nano XR 450, 29" with 100 Gr. points, Meta nocks, Vane-tec vanes Sight - CBE Pro-lite sight, Viper scope and 4X lens, .019 red fiber Tru-peep Lrg. Stabilizer - Kudlacek Genesis 5 Star, 36" Rest - Bo-Doodle Pro Lite Release - Zenith Archery Products Comfort Twosey, set for d loop, .004 clicker cam   Bookmark this page and visit often! All material herein © 2000 On Target Solutions, all rights reserved. Zenith Archery Products and ZAP are service marks of On Target Solutions Incorporated. webmaster Revised: February 22, 2007	Hey, who are you calling Patsy Bear? Want to learn how to use a Back Tension Release...the easy way?   Read ArcheryWorld.com's "Test & Tune" review of Zenith's Sure Fire Training Kit!   Another rave review of Zenith's Sure Fire Training Kit! See what the pros at Bowsite.com had to say...   Be Sure to Visit Our Booth!